Horticultural Therapy for child with autism

Paper details: Horticultural Therapy for child with autism

For this charrette, you explore a potential site for your HT/TH program. The purpose of this exercise is to consider the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of a particular site for your program based on your concept and client group. If you are developing a program plan for an existing program on an existing site, you can do one of two things: 1) ‘explore’ that site with fresh eyes and an objective attitude or 2) explore a different site that you think might also work well.

Part 1:

Choose and visit a site near you such as a park, community garden, botanical garden, greenhouse, nursery, facility multipurpose room, or other potential HT/TH space. While there, start by taking some time to get a sense of its genius loci; the spirit of the place. How would you describe it? Will it help or hinder your goals? Next, write up a description of the site that helps the reader understand the space (100-200 words). Include images.

Example 1:
The location that will be utilized for the HT program is an activity room that
is located in the geriatric unit of the medical center. The activity room has
tables, chairs, potted plants resting on the ledge of a large window that
provides an outdoor view, and a large-screen television. The room is
wheelchair accessible, offers adapted furniture, and has accessible
restrooms with access to water. There is also an attached storage area.
Although indoors, the large window, the comfortable furnishings, the room’s
lighting, and the many potted plants create a cozy setting that feels different
from the other public spaces of the facility.
Example 2:
In a semi-remote location just off of the main highway near a local
elementary school, lies the remnants of what was once a ¼ acre garden,
greenhouse, and commercial building. The greenhouse structure and
adjacent building were once a thriving commercial center housing a
restaurant, flower shop, and offices. There are two ways to enter the garden
area but the most iconic path is to enter through a slightly darkened corridor
of the building that leads onto the garden path partially shaded by branches
of the original trees planted in the early days. There is also a multipurpose
room in the commercial building large enough to conduct TH interventions.
Bathroom facilities are a short walking distance away and are handicap
accessible. The concrete walking paths are wide and lined with stone walls.

Part 2:

Perform and record an inventory of the site, considering all the things about the space that might affect your program and your clients. Consider the:

location, adjacency, and size (e.g., 1-acre outdoor garden next door to the high school)
site amenities (3 raised beds (or room for 3 raised beds), pavilion, restrooms, in-ground beds, water features, fencing)
availability or access to storage and water
ease of site maintenance
site safety considerations and concerns (based on location and/or client group)
amount of improvements needed to launch your program
additional things that will affect your program
Based on your inventory and sense of the space, write up a SWOT analysis of the program site describing its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Include a plan for capitalizing on the site’s strengths and opportunities and mitigating its weaknesses and threats. Avoid being vague in your descriptions (400-500 words: Don’t include your inventory notes; a good SWOT analysis should make it clear that you have considered the site fully for your program and clients).

Part 3:

State the top 5 changes/adjustments/retrofits that you will have to make to your site for your program to start, based on your prograqwam concept and client group.